Tips for traveling to Merida

 

Since the Spanish conquest, Mérida has been the cultural capital of the entire Yucatán Peninsula. A delightful blend of provincial and cosmopolitan, it is a town steeped in colonial history. It's a great place to explore, with narrow streets, broad central plazas and the region’s best museums. It’s also a perfect place from which to kick off your adventure into the rest of Yucatán state. It has excellent cuisine and accommodations, thriving markets, and events happening just about every night.

When in Mérida:

Restaurants

  1. Micaela y Mar - very good octopus dishes

  2. Oliva Enoteca - Italian

  3. Apaola (Plaza Santa Lucia) and Speak Easy Bar

  4. Mugy (incredible patio for dinner)

  5. Ramiro

  6. La Pigua

  7. Kuuk

  8. Kurouma - Japanese

  9. Taquería La Unión (tacos with Yucatan´s typical meats)

  10. Tintorera - seafood

  11. Chablé - Amazing Hacienda with very nice restaurant 30 min away from Mérida

Breakfast

  1. Volta Cafe Plaza Carmesí

  2. Pan y Koffee

  3. Los Platos Rotos

  4. Socco (great bread)

  5. Hotel Casa San Angel - great “motuleños” eggs

Bars

  1. Acervo Mezcalero

  2. Speak Easy Bar - entrance through El Malix de la 53 (Hot Dog place)

  3. Salón Gallos

  4. Patio Petanca

  5. La Negrita

  6. Pipiripau

Coffee

  1. María y Montejo (Best Coffee)

  2. Between the lines (book store)

Stores

  1. Plaza Carmesí

  2. Casatho Concept House

Museums

  1. Bienal Gallery

  2. Jose García Gallery

  3. Palacio Cantón

Places to Visit near Mérida:

Cenotes are natural deep-water wells (sinkholes), which are fed by the filtration of rain and by the currents of underground rivers that are born in the heart of the earth.

 

Cenotes:

  1. Calcuch at Sabbaché Village 65 km away

  2. Nah ya at Pixyah Village 70 km away

  3. Noh Mozon at Pixyah Village 60 km away

  4. Kankirixche at Abalá 60 km away

One-day trips:

  1. Izamal Village 72 km away - Convento de San Antonio de Padua, Raíces Mayas (Henequén Handicrafts) and Lunch at Kinich Restaurant (deer specialities, cochinita -pork-, coffee pot - café de olla-)

  2. Uxmal Pyramids 80 km away.

  3. Celestún Flamingos Reserve 110 km away - Lunch at Pampanos (crab specialties with garlic and very good ceviche).

  4. Chichen Itza Pyramids 127 km away

  5. Yaxunah Village 128 km away - Mayan community that built a cooperative to generate a local economy tourism. One-day tour that includes visiting a Cenote, showing different traditions such as cooking cochinita pibil and preparing typical corn drinks.

  6. Ek Balam Pyramids 200 km away - very close to Valladolid, recommended restaurants Mesón del Marques or Los Frailes.

  7. El Cuyo (1 or 2 nights at least) 262 km away - amazing beach and great place to do ecotourism. Restaurants (only cash)- Naia Café, La Cochinita y La Casa Palma. Visit Las Coloradas.

Other experiences:

Honey (Melipona Beecheii) degustation with Rodrigo or Andrea at Carmesí plaza. Reservation at https://www.mielnativa.com/. Its possible to visit the producers at its village (Pueblo de Mama 57 km away). Lunch at Principe Tutul Xiu at Mani Village - where the poc choc (pork) dish was invented.